Generally, cooktop appliances include a cooking surface that is configured for supporting cooking utensils. A heating source supplies thermal energy to the cooking utensils supported by the cooking surface. The cooktop appliance can also include a light source. The light source can provide light for assisting a user, e.g., by illuminating the cooking surface, by providing a visual indicator for certain features of the appliance, and/or by providing aesthetic appeal.
The light source can be mounted within the cooktop appliance below the cooking surface. However, the cooking surface is generally opaque. Thus, when the light source is mounted below the cooking surface, the cooking surface can have a transparent or translucent portion that permits light from the light source to pass through the cooking surface to the user.
Generally, only a small portion of the light emitted by the light source passes through the cooking surface. The remainder is absorbed and/or reflected within the appliance below the cooking surface. Thus, a user may see only a small portion of the amount of light emitted by the light source. As noted above, the light source can provide several important functions. However, when only a small portion of the light emitted from the light source reaches a user, the ability of the light source to perform these functions can be limited.
Accordingly, a cooktop appliance with features for directing light from a light source through a transparent or translucent portion of the appliance's cooking surface would be useful.
Also, the light source is generally spaced apart from the cooking surface and positioned directly below the transparent or translucent portion of the cooking surface. Thus, the light source can be best viewed directly above the transparent or translucent portion. However, a user is typically not positioned directly above the transparent or translucent portion and, thus, is generally not positioned to best view light emitted by the light source.
Accordingly, a cooktop appliance with features for directing light in a manner more visible to a user would be useful.